GTA Online Microtransactions Leaked?

Grand theft micro.

Blair Inglis, 4 years ago, 17 comments.

We recently reported that GTA V might feature Microtransactions. While skeptical, since the images were clearly photoshopped, it would make sense for Rockstar to put these increasingly popular mini-payments into the game.

Although a Rockstar spokesperson confirmed to us that $5 guns weren’t part of their plans for GTA V, an outed XML file (hosted on Rockstar’s site) shows the current DLC for the game, including all of the special edition content and “cash cards” which appear to accept payments of real money for in-game cash.

Cash is king in this town. Solve your money problems and help get what you want across Los Santos and Blaine County with the purchase of cash packs for Grand Theft Auto Online. All purchased cash is automatically deposited into your character’s bank account. Spend wisely, cash therapy is fleeting.

These purchases appear to include $100k, $200k, $500k and $1.25m cash cards, though they could of course just be leftover files from a ditched system.

If this is true, though, it has some repercussions – you can steal cash from other players in GTA Online, so if they’ve bought it, then isn’t that actual theft? That’s my only problem; I don’t think it’s an issue that they’re putting the microtransactions in, but encouraging realtheft is a bad move.

I agree with Pesico, as in if the cash is going straight to your bank it can’t be stolen.

If I remember right EVE Online had a real banking system and you could bank with players, but some bankers got together and stoled around $60,000 of real moneys worth of in-game currency and I don’t think anything happened to them except secure a page next to “Leeroy Jenkins” in the book of obscure gaming trivia.

I think, personally, whenever you buy IAPs or microtransactions your doing so to play a game, a situation in where you need to be aware of the rules. If part of a game is stealing virtual currency, one needs to expect and understand that any currency they buy might get stolen while playing the game. Look at it another way, instead of in-game currency use what that currency can buy. If you buy a helicopter and someone uses a RPG to blow your helicopter up the moment you get in it, did the person with the RPG “steal” your helicopter, or did you loose your helicopter during the course of natural events while playing the game? I don’t think it can be considered “theft” unless the party involved had no idea what was happening or unless the “thief” could re-sell the virtual currency for financial gain- and even then Rockstar would have to allow the re-selling, which I don’t think they’d allow since they’re also trying to sell virtual currency and wouldn’t want the competition. From a legal standpoint, a person looses certain rights when they knowingly take part in an activity. Just by understanding the rules of the game your participating in changes the legal descriptions of the law. For instance, if youre in a sanctioned boxing match with someone you waive your right to file an assault charge when you get knocked out. So I think just from being in a match where stealing virtual currency is an authorized event you would forfeit your legal right to prosecute (even if the money didn’t go straight to your bank) just because you’re willingly taken part in the activity.

Really well put, what you’ve said about the ‘rules’ of the game make perfect sense. Every player will understand that the virtual money in the game takes time to earn and so buying the virtual money is in essence a time saving function of the game. Your account is not worth more since presumably the purchased virtual money can’t be sold on for real profit and by having played the game you’ll already have understood the temporary nature of the virtual money.
I think it’s fine and anyone whose worried about having their money stolen should just steal someone else’s instead of paying for it! I wonder what the Daily Mail will say, they’ve been far too quiet about GTA V so far.

Would it be that hard for them to make this particular paid for money protected from being stolen? Even if carried. Surely it’s just a case of tagging it as such or something. That’s if it turns out to be true of course.

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